The disclosures herein relate generally to portable computers and more particularly to a structural rear cover for attachment to the base of a notebook computer.
Traditional notebook computers have a plastic clam shell type base to house the motherboard and various peripherals. The base is also a support for the movable LCD pivotably attached thereto. Typically, the base is formed by a top member and a bottom member. The bottom member supports the motherboard, LCD clutches, fans, a CD floppy module, a hard drive bay, a battery bay, a hybrid cooler and other components. The top member covers the components in the bottom member and also provides a frame for the keyboard and includes a palm rest surface adjacent the keyboard. Each of the top and bottom members have a partial end wall. When the top and bottom members are assembled together to house the components mentioned above, the two partial end walls come together to form a housing end wall wherein the input-output ports are provided.
Typically, this clam shell type of construction is structurally weak in certain areas. One such area is the end wall which is immediately adjacent the hinge support for the LCD attachment. Thus, when access to the components is desired, the LCD must be removed and the top and bottom clam shell members must be separated. This involves considerable disassembly and substantial time. Also, when notebook computers are dropped, components and parts of the plastic housing are often broken. If damage occurs to the end wall of the base, usually both the top and bottom portions of the base require replacement.
Therefore, what is needed is a housing construction which allows component access and/or housing repair and replacement without separating the top and bottom clam shell portions of the housing.